Fence-post



T. G. ORWIG.

(No Model.)

Fence Post.

No. 233,871. Patented Nov. 2, 1880.

r WLWMM @ffl Umran- STATES artnr Fries.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,871, dated November 2, 1880.

Application filed May 4, 1880.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. ORWIG, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Fence- Post, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to diminish the maximum bulk ot' wood required in a fencepost, and to augment the minimum strength and durability of a post constructed from a given quantity ot' wood.

It consists in constructing complete posts from pieces of fence-boards, square strips of wood, and wooden stay-blocks, as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 of my accompanying drawings is a perspective view of a post made from two uniform pieces of board, a a, that are about an inch thick. They may be uniform in width or tapering toward their top ends and vary in size, as desired.

l 2 3 represent wooden stay-blocks fixed between the pieces a at intervals corresponding with the spaces desired between the rails of a fence. The pieces a and the blocks are fastened together by means of l nails, screw-bolts, or in any suitable way to connect the strips a and to form fence-rail bearings, into which nails and staples can be driven, for the purpose of fastening fence-boards and fence-wires to the complete post. These stay-blocks are graduated in size, and may vary in shape, number, and dimensions. Theymaybe formed of solid pieces of wood, or of several pieces joined together.

bis a piece of sheet metal bent over the united upper ends of the pieces a, and fastened to form a cap to cover and protect the top end of the post.

c c are elongated pieces ot' wood fixed to the stay-block 3, to form extended bearings for the pieces a at the points where they are bent, and

to re-enforee that part of the complete post.

that will, in practical use, be subjected to the greatest strain.

I am aware that the ends of fence-boards have been fastened between the uprights of a portable truss and adjustable re enforcing pieces and fixed standards attached to the outside of the truss-uprights, but such trusses were not designed to be set in the ground to form a fixed fence.

(No model.)

My truss-form post is adapted to be set iu the ground, and has fixed stay-blocks that aid in securing and supporting the fence-boards that are designed to be iixed thereto to form a permanent fence; and my combination of an elongated re-enforcing piece, c, with a fixed stay-block in a skeleton post to form an extended bearing for the upright piece to that is bent over the stay-block, is novel and greatly advantageous in that it prevents short bends and breaking of fiber in the main pieces a, and helps to spread and stiften and strengthen that part of the complete post that is subject to the greatest strain when it is xed in the ground to support fence boards and rails of various kinds.

d d represent devices thatserve as washers ou the bolts, nails, or spikes that are used to secure the pieces ct to the stay-blocks and to each other. They also serve as a means of-securing fence-wires to the posts. They maybe stamped from plate-metal, and vary in form and size. Their edges may be scalloped and the points bent outward to serve as barbs for preventing animals from pushing and breaking a fence.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of my skeleton posts in which four square strips of wood, a, are combined by means of .a graduated seres of stay-blocks, l 2 3.

f f represent ferrules, preferably lnade ot' heavy wire, fixed on the connected ends of the strips a, to bind them firmly together.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of one of my posts, showing the strips attached to the opposite and parallel edges of a stay-block. Fig. 4 shows the corners of\the block cut out and the strips fitted in. Fig. 5 is a modified form of stay-block in the shape of a Greek cross, composed of two uniform pieces of wood fixed yto-r gether in a crossed position to produce an gular bearings in the corners of the complete block, into which the strips can be readily placed and secured. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a section of fence, and illustrates the manner of using my open or skeleton wood posts to support fence-boards, fence-wires, and tlexible barbed wood rails.

The wood in skeleton-truss form posts thus constructed of thin pieces can be more readily permeated with lime, eopperas, alum, creo- IOO sote, or other suitable preserving materials than posts made from solid and thicker pieces; and it may be so permeated and made practically decay-proof and fire-proof before or after the pieces are combined.

I am aware that metal bars have been connected by means of a graduated series of staypieces or cores having recesses corresponding to the size and shape of the bars, and metal hoops correspondin g in size with the cores, to produce tapering and skeleton tele graph-poles.

Iam also aware that metal rods and bars have been passed through and inclosed in a graduated series of metal stay-pieces, and their ends then connected to form a metal fencepost similar in form and appearance to my Wooden post; but fence-boards and Wires cannot be fastened to such metal posts in a common Way by means of nails and staples.

By substituting wooden bars for metal bars and solid Wooden blocks for perforated metal stays, and allowing` the solid Wooden blocks to form part ofthe outside surface ofthe complete post, nails and staples can be readily driven into such a Wood surface for the purpose of fastening thereto fence-rails of every kind.

The surface and bulk of my improved wooden post are greater, and its weight and cost much less than a skeleton metal post or solid Wooden post of corresponding strength; and when the pores of the wood are filled with preservative matter, as contemplated, it Will be as durable as iron and more durable than a solid Wooden post that has its pores not filled with preservative matter from surface to center.

I claim as my inventionl. In the construction of a fence-post, the elongated re-enforcin g strip c, with a solid wooden stay-block, and a Wooden strip and side piece, a, substantially as shown and described, for the purposes specified.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a skeleton Wooden fence-post, as distinguished from skeleton metal posts composed of wooden side strips, a, re-enforcing strips c, and a series of stays, 1 2 3, for the purposes specified.

THOMAS G. ORVIG.

l Witnesses:

FRANK W. HEERs, R. G. ORWIG. 

